Boone Makes Forbes.com 25 Best Places To Retire List

“Pretty mountain town of 19,000 in North Carolina’s scenic High Country”, the profile of Boone begins. The publication adds about Boone, “PROS: Low serious crime rate. Good air quality. High number of doctors per capita. College town vibe (Appalachian State University). Decent economy. No state estate/inheritance tax, no state income tax on Social Security. Fairly walkable. CONS: Long, cold winters (but warm summers) with lots of precipitation. NOTED: Elevation 3,300 feet. Warm, dry summers.”

Boone is new to list, according to the publication, choices are based on on housing expense, taxes and other costs of living plus a host of quality of life factors. These include crime, weather and air quality, doctor availability and such opportunities for an active lifestyle.